Story perspectives

ESA orbiter, NASA rovers reveal dune waves, honeycomb, record trek

7/16/2026

Summary

Story summary

ESA’s Mars Express captured metallic-shimmering wave patterns on dunes in ancient Kaiser Crater, Noachis Terra, and bright frost on the crater floor.
NASA’s Curiosity rover photographed a honeycomb-like texture of uniform polygonal shapes on the Martian surface.
NASA’s Perseverance rover completed a 26.2-mile (42.2-km) trek after 1,890 sols, surpassing Opportunity’s distance record.
Perseverance identified a 75-meter-thick Broom Point member on Jezero’s rim, interpreted as ancient asteroid impact deposits.

History

Historical Context

NASA’s low-cost Discovery program launched Mars Pathfinder on 4 December 1996; it landed in Ares Vallis on 4 July 1997, where the Sojourner rover operated for 92 sols and covered a short distance. Managed by JPL, the $280 million mission proved “faster, better, cheaper” concepts that shaped future Mars rovers such as NASA’s Curiosity and NASA’s Perseverance.

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Story summary

ESA’s Mars Express captured metallic-shimmering wave patterns on dunes in ancient Kaiser Crater, Noachis Terra, and bright frost on the crater floor.
NASA’s Curiosity rover photographed a honeycomb-like texture of uniform polygonal shapes on the Martian surface.
NASA’s Perseverance rover completed a 26.2-mile (42.2-km) trek after 1,890 sols, surpassing Opportunity’s distance record.
Perseverance identified a 75-meter-thick Broom Point member on Jezero’s rim, interpreted as ancient asteroid impact deposits.

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